Government could double down on casinos

Date: February 22 2013

Bridie Jabour

The government has left the door open for a second casino licence for Brisbane in the future but is not considering one at the moment as Echo Entertainment confirms a $1 billion casino proposal for the CBD.

Treasury Casino owners, Echo Entertainment, want to move the casino, saying the current site is "too small" and have been eyeing up the current Government Executive Building site in George Street.

The plans they unveiled on Thursday include up to five times more hotel rooms than the current casino as well as shops, restaurants, function rooms, ball rooms and more poker machines.

The announcement came among whispers James Packer could be looking to expand Crown Casino into Brisbane, though he is also a part owner of Echo Entertainment.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said he is not currently considering a second casino licence but did not completely shut the door on the possibility.

"If a second casino licence were to be considered and issued in the future, it would be opened to a formal tender process," he said.

Echo Entertainment CEO John Redmond brushed off suggestions the Treasury Casino move could be part of a strategy to stave off any hopes Crown may have of establishing a casino in Brisbane.

When asked if he had concerns about the casino moving into Echo Entertainment's market, Mr Redmond replied "none at all".

"We have the only licence in Brisbane, we have that licence at least until 2070," he said.

"We've had conversations in the past with the government, of course there has been a change in government, but we want to continue that dialogue."

Mr Redmond began negotiations with the previous Bligh government on the new Treasury Casino move but their last proposal was rejected by the Newman government because they wanted to build on the heritage listed former State Library building site in William Street.

He was effusive in his praise of the Newman government and in particular, Mr Bleijie.

"They have been absolutely wonderful to deal with, I recently had a meeting with the Attorney-General," he said.

"He is such a breath of fresh air, he's amazing in what he's trying to do to cut red tape.

"I've never had anything but positive meetings."

Mr Redmond opposes a second casino licence for Brisbane, saying "fragmenting" the market would not be good for the city.

The new Treasury Casino could be built within three years of a site being found, though no timeframe has been put on the process.

Mr Redmond would not be drawn on which specific sites Echo Entertainment was considering but did say it had to be five hectares.

The defunct law courts complex in George Street has long been touted as a possible casino site but Mr Redmond would not comment on it. However he did praise the Government Executive Building site.

The state government will move out of the building after new office towers in William Street are completed and Mr Redmond admitted the site was being "seriously" considered.

"It's a very good site but we want to make sure we find the very best site," he said.

Mr Redmond said the aim of the new casino – which he referred to as an "integrated resort" – would be to become a tourist attraction.

He said the current Treasury Casino does not attract tourists because it does not offer anything beyond the casino as a form of entertainment.

"To be a true tourism mecca, you need to have multiple forms of entertainment to make that very synergistic entertainment destination," he said.

"You need to have everything working together, the rooms, the food and beverage, the convention area.